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Officials leery of new PennDOT requirement

Route I-78 being closed due to accidents is not a new occurrence. It’s the effects of detoured truck traffic that has some Lehigh Valley towns adjacent to Route 78 concerned. One recent occurrence closed 78 to truck traffic for 12 hours. The disruption detoured tractor trailers on small side streets in several Lehigh Valley towns. Several of these trucks ended up getting stuck or involved in traffic incidents. One such incident occurred in Hellertown on Clauser Street when a truck veered off the road and ended up on someone’s private property. Although not many incidents have occurred, Hellertown has also experienced issues with trucks striking and taking out fire hydrants, curbing and stop signs.

Given the small size of some roads, municipalities try to minimize incidents by placing signs prohibiting trucks on certain roads. What has Hellertown Borough officials concerned is a new PennDoT requirement starting in December that will require municipalities to do an engineering study before a sign prohibiting trucks can be put up on any road in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This requirement will even include roads that are obviously physically impassable for tractor trailers due to lack of width, turning radius, parked cars on the sides, etc. The new law only involves the movement of trucks on roads and is separate from weight restrictions. Also, signs being put up will no longer carry wording, but will have pictures instead.

The engineering studies can cost small municipalities, with already tight budgets, thousands of dollars, depending on the length of the road and other factors.

In reacting to the news, Council President Thomas Rieger said, “I can’t get over the fact that if a road is 20 feet wide and you have parking on both sides, a tractor trailer won’t fit…I don’t need to get a study done to tell me it doesn’t work.”

According to Hellertown Police Chief Robert Shupp, “You won’t be grandfathered in, so if you have a sign up right now, as of Dec. 13, you might as well take that sign down. Unless you have a study, it’s not enforceable.”

In other news, Glenn Higbie ,who is the Hellertown Borough Authority’s administrator, is retiring after 10 years on the job. Higbie has led the water and sewer authority, which services nearly 2,600 customers in Hellertown and parts of Lower Saucon Township. Hellertown Mayor David Heintzelman presented Higbie with a declaration showing Oct. 15 as Glenn Higbie Day in the Borough of Hellertown. Higbie said, “Thank you again for letting me end my career here, knowing that we collectively have made a difference for everyone.” Higbie shook hands with each member of council.

press photo by mark kirlinHellertown Mayor David Heintzelman (left) congratulates Borough Authority Administrator Glenn Higbie (right) on his retirement.